


On the Brink!

by Teriah4Evah



Category: Teriah, The Young and the Restless
Genre: F/F, Teriah AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:00:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25829329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teriah4Evah/pseuds/Teriah4Evah
Summary: Tessa is new to town and trying to fit in.  She meets Sharon and her beautiful daughter Mariah.  Mariah has a secret they may make or break the family business.  Can Tessa help them from going to the brink?
Relationships: Mariah Copeland/Tessa Porter
Comments: 12
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I'm so excited to start writing my first Teriah story! My doctor said that having goals and keeping to a schedule can help me so I'm doing this as the best thing I can think of! I hope you like it!!

Tessa had never been to Genoa City before. She had heard about it, with all its glitz and glamour, but never thought she would see it. Sometimes when she had black eyes she thought she’d never see again. But that’s over now. Far away in Chicago. The south side of Chicago which is even farther.

She had rolled into town earlier that morning and parked her car under a tree next to a nice park. After a short walk around the nice park her tummy began to rumble. And that’s where we find her now. In a nice park with a rumbly tummy. She checks her pockets and is relieved to find she still has a few bills and quarters and a nickel left from her deal she made at the pawn shop to get her out of town. But now that she finally made it, she thinks her first day in Genoa City is a pretty good reason to treat herself to food.

She leaves the park in the direction of some shops with the hopes of finding a nice bite to eat. Walking down the street Tessa is met with so many choices! A pickle cart, deep fried snickers bars, cotton candy! Genoa City is like a fair! Tessa is frozen in place. Where does she even start?

“Excuse me?” A woman with blonde hair is looking right at Tessa, “Are you lost?”

“Um, no. Just Hungry”

“Oh, “ says the blonde woman, “well, do you like ice cream?”

Tessa looks down at the ground, “Um...I’ve never had ice cream before”

“WHAT?!” the blonde woman is stunned. “Are you from Mars???”

Tessa is embarrassed. “No, I’m from Chicago”

“Oh, sweetie, I’m sorry here come with me.”

The woman leads her into a shop that was the most amazing shop Tessa had ever seen! She was astonished! She was also a little cold but that’s fine. The counters were made of glass cases and inside were treats the likes of which she’d only ever dreamed of. So many colors and flavors. It was like Halloween with all the goodies (if her candy wasn’t always stolen by her dad. She and her little sister tried to hide their stashes one year but then her dad found it and then set their homemade costumes on fire with his cigarettes and then made them steal beer. So they never did that again.)

Tessa stands there with her jaw dropped open. “What is this place?!”

The blonde woman moves behind the counter and ties an apron around her waist and says with a smile over Tessa’s amazement, “This is my Cold Stone Creamery! I’m Sharon btw.”

“Oh, wow! My name is Tessa btw.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you Tessa! How about I get you some ice cream”

“Oh yes, definitely please!”

“Alright then! Let’s start your creation! What kind of ice cream do you want to start with? We have cake batter, classic cookie dough, french vanilla, vanilla lite, chocolate, sweet cream, mint, cheesecake, coffee, cotton candy, amaretto, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, white chocolate, mango, banana, peanut butter, caramel latte, and strawberry.”

“Wow, um, I don’t know? That’s so many…I don’t want to pick the wrong one.”

Sharon reaches across the counter to pat Tessa on the arm, “It’s ok Tessa, you can’t really make a wrong pick. Unless you pick a sorbet. As you can see, my location doesn’t even have any sorbet, which is probably why it’s the best.” Tessa seems relieved. “But you know what, why don’t I make you my favorite!”

“Oh, yes please. Then I can’t go wrong for sure.”

Sharon grabs her spatula and moves over to the ice cream case. “This signature creation is called COOKIES MAKE EVERYTHING BATTER. It starts out with cake batter ice cream, and has Oreos and Golden Oreos mixed in. Does that sound good?”

“Oh yeah, big time this is amazing Sharon, thank you!”

Sharon plops a big scoop of cake batter ice cream onto the freezing granite slab and then makes a well with her spatula. She then takes some scoops of oreo pieces and plops them inside. “Are you ready for the fun part Tessa?” Sharon then chops and mixes the oreos into the ice cream until it all comes together. “You look like a waffle dish girl.” Sharon winks then plops the whole ice cream creation into the dish and with a professional flourish, tops it off with whip cream.

“Here you go Tessa, the best ice cream in town!”

Tessa Takes her first bite and thinks she died and went to heaven. She lets out a moan it’s so good. “Sharon, you ain’t lying, this is so good!!” Sharon is about to reply when her cell phone goes off. “Oh, I’m sorry let me get that.” 

Tessa takes her ice cream over to a table to eat it while Sharon takes the call. She can’t believe how lucky she is to have the best thing she’s ever ate her first day in her new city, and met the nicest woman she’s ever met too. As she keeps eating she can’t help but notice Sharon’s call isn’t going well. Her face is all squished up and she’s now whispering. Tessa turns aways and pretends her ice cream is very interesting to give Sharon some privacy. Which, isn’t that hard because this ice cream is actually amazing. The way she mixed it up with those paddles was so cool. She imagines working here would be a dream. The only thing that could make it better would be if she could sing too.

“Hey, Tessa?”

Sharon’s question breaks Tessa out of her thoughts.

“I’m so sorry to have to ask you this, but that phone call was from my youngest daughter’s school. She’s in the principal's office again and I need to go down there and my oldest daughter, bless her heart, is again late for her shift here. Could you watch the store for me while I’m gone? Please?? I’ll throw in another signature creation when I get back…”

“Oh my gosh Sharon, of course I will help you! You’ve done so much for me already so absolutely for sure definitely I’ll help you out!’

“Oh, great, thank you Tessa.” Sharon lets out a deep breath and then hugs Tessa before gathering up her things. “Ok, well, scoops are in the trough and the code to the register is 4691. My oldest should, in theory, be here anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours from now but she will eventually show up if she still wants a roof over her head. She can take over and you can go about your afternoon OK bye!”

Sharon runs out the door and Tessa is left alone in the shop. She finishes off her last spoonfuls of heaven and then grabs an apron off the hook and steps behind the counter.

“Well Tessa,” she speaks to herself “time to get to work!”


	2. Chapter 2

Tessa busies herself by wiping down the counters and humming a new melody that has been running through her head lately. She knows the lyrics for it will come with time. Just as she’s starting a new harmony a loud clatter comes from the back room nearly causing her a heart attack! There are more shuffling noises coming from the back! Arming herself with one of the ice cream spatulas, Tessa inches her way toward the swinging door to the back room. She peeks through the porthole window but can only see a pile of boxes full of paper supplies that must have been knocked over.

“Oh….you better be a lost raccoon and not a murdering serial killer. Or a murdering serial killing raccoon.” Tessa whispers to herself as she braces to go investigate.

One last deep breath and she silently swings the door open. There’s still some noises in the far back corner by the emergency exit and...some hushed swearing? Yep, definitely some hushed swearing in a soft but angry, feminine voice. Now Tessa is more intrigued than scared. What on earth is going on? Just then, a tangle of red hair pops up from behind a box, “My mom’s not here is she??” the redhead asks almost in a panic, her eyes keep darting from Tessa to the door as if worried Sharon will walk through it any second.

Tessa, on the other hand, has lost the ability to speak. This redhead...wow. Like, really wow. How can Tessa even describe how beautiful she is?! It’s like eating ice cream for the first time but, with your eyes and a person. There are no words, only feelings and that is all Tessa’s brain can process looking at this beautiful girl in front of her.

While Tessa is transfixed the redhead has now moved from the back corner and is peering through the window on the door, “She’s not right?! OMG she’s gonna kill me for being late again!”

Tessa finally comes to her senses, “No, she’s not. She left to go to Faith’s school.” The redhead visibly relaxes. “You're Mariah, right?”

“Yep, the one and only! Well, I do have a twin--had a twin. You know what nevermind can you help me with something?”

I’ll help you with anything you want Tessa thinks, but what she says is, “Sure.” 

She follows Mariah back to the spot of all the commotion. “Hey, are you alright btw? This was really loud when it fell.”

“Oh, yeah, totally good! Takes more that a few boxes full of paper bowls to take me out lol”

Mariah pushes open the heavy emergency exit door and then starts dragging in a heavy duffle bag, “I usually use this door to sneak in when my mom is here but the delivery guy must have dropped off our supply order in front of it again. Ugh, looser”

Tessa helps move some of the boxes out of Mariah’s way and eyeball’s the duffel bag. “You’re not like, a serial killer, are you?”

Mariah closes the emergency door back up and looks at Tessa confused. Then realizes dragging a duffel bag through a backdoor totally looks like a serial killer thing to do. She laughs. “Hahaha, no. Gotta kill more than one person to be a serial killer, right? Um...bad joke, I haven’t killed anyone. Wait, you’re not a serial killer are you? Who even are you?”

“Oh, I’m Tessa. I met your mom earlier today. She made me a Cookies Make Everything Batter.”

“So, you’re a new hire?”

Tessa is unsure. “Yes?”

Mariah is also unsure but not too phased, “OK’

“Soooo,” Tessa begins, “what’s in the mystery bag?”

Mariah’s face lights up, “Only the best thing in the world!”

Mariah unzips the bag to show Tessa and Tessa realizes she’d have never guessed in a million years.

“Rollerblades?” 

Inside the bag Tessa see’s about half a dozen pairs of rollerblades with pads and helmets and spare wheels. No wonder it was so heavy. “You’re a rollerblader?”

Mariah’s face only lights up more!

“I sure am! Captain of the Genoa City Crimson Lights! Best downhill rollerblading team around! Well, maybe not according to our record, but definitely according to our spirit.”

Tessa is now looking at Mariah and picturing her in her rollerblading getup. Equal parts adorable and hot.

“Wait, so why are you sneaking around?” Tessa puts on a fake conspiratorial grin and whispers “Rollerblading isn’t illegal here, is it??”

Mariah laughs, and it's the most amazing sound.

“No, but god does my mom wish it was. She hates it and hates that I love it. If she found out I still skate she’d freak.”

“Ahhh.”

“Yup.” Mariah closes up the bag and stashes it behind a freezer then begins to restack all the boxes she knocked over. Tessa helps, and before they know it the back room is back to normal. 

“So um, thanks for your help and for watching the store for my mom.” Mariah looks at Tessa and doesn’t know why it suddenly feels awkward. “I can take it from here um, if you need to leave. You probably have other Cold Stone Creamery owners you need to be randomly sorta hired by.” Mariah nervously laughs at her own joke and can’t place why the thought of Tessa leaving bothers her. 

Tessa also doesn’t want to leave, then remembers..”Well, your mom did promise me another Signature Creation when she got back so, I think I’ll stick around and keep sorta working here, if you don’t mind?”

Mariah feels so relieved, “Yes! I mean sure, I don’t mind.” 

They walk back up front and Mariah grabs an apron to put on. “My mom is a pretty good creation artist, but how about I show you how a real pro does it?” and she winks at Tessa as she says this. Wait, did she? Was that real?? Or did Tessa just imagine that? OMG either way, the answer is yes.


	3. Chapter 3

Mariah had mixed up the most amazing OUR STRAWBERRY BLONDE that Tessa had ever seen (the only one, but that doesn’t matter), but before they could sit down to enjoy it together a few customers came in. Mariah showed Tessa how to work the register and together the two of them worked through the afternoon rush.

It was strange, but at the same time not, how well the two of them worked together. Tessa could tell Mariah had been working there for a while. Things were almost automatic to her. She practically floated around the counters, mixing and making the customers smile. Tessa caught herself looking at Mariah more than necessary but she couldn’t help it. She was just simply beautiful.

Once the rush ended, they were finally able to sit down and share the Signature Creation Mariah made earlier. It is soooooooooooooo good, the way the strawberries are semi frozen and then melt in your mouth, releasing all their juices and splashing the flavor all over Tessa’s tongue. She rolls the last bit of a frozen strawberry nub along the roof of her mouth in tiny circles until at last it dissolves in a burst of flavor that almost bursts past her lips and drips down her chin. Yeah, Tessa thinks, she’ll have more of these in the future for sure.

She looks across the table and can tell Mariah is enjoying hers too. “So,” Tessa searches for a way to begin a conversation with the again, extremely gorgeous redhead gracing her with her presence...and ice cream, “you are pretty much an ice cream ninja with those spatulas.”

Mariah laughs at the odd compliment, and it's such a beautiful sound. “Thanks, I trained in the Genoa Mountains for many years under the strict tutelage of Sifu Ward. Until one day the student surpassed the teacher and my training was declared complete.”

“Wow, impressive!” Tessa softly laughs with Mariah’s playful answer. A soft look comes across Mariah’s face but she shake’s it away before Tessa can place it.

“You weren’t so bad yourself, Tessa. You definitely have a way with customers. That’s actually the most important quality to have when working at a Cold Stone Creamery. Honestly sometimes all I want to do is chuck a scoop of vanilla at some of the brats that come in here.” Mariah mimes a choking motion with her hands as the two laugh over the mental image of a kid getting pelted in the face with ice cream.

“Well, it’s easy to be in a good mood when you have good company.” The laughter slowly dies down between them while Tessa hold’s Mariah’s gaze with a soft smile.

“MOM RELAX! IT’S NOT EVEN A REAL TATTOO!!!”

“Oh, Yeah, because a fake BTS tattoo on your lower back is that much better!”

“ACTUALLY YEAH?? LIKE???”

“Faith, that’s enough! Go to the back and start doing dishes until I’m ready to give you your real punishment!”

“FINE!! UUUGHHHHHHH”

Tessa and Mariah stare awkwardly at each other while Faith and Sharon argue until Faith eventually storms off to the back with every ounce of 12 year old rage she has.

“So...my mom’s back”

“Maaaaaayybe she forgot you were late today??”

Mariah takes a breath as she stands up, “One can hope…”

They both walk back up to the counter to greet Sharon, who has now started closing down the register for the night.

“Hey, so...things must have gone well at Faith’s scho--”

“NOPE! Zip it Mariah. Don’t think I forgot you were late again today! I need at least one of my daughters to be responsible these days.”

“Sorry, you’re right, you’re right!. It won’t happen again I swear! Especially since I have a new Ice cream ninja to train!’

Mariah gestures to Tessa, who is visibly uncomfortable observing this family argument but attempting to act like she isn’t. She smiles at Sharon. Kinda.

“Mom, Tessa was great today! You made a great new hire and I’m really excited about her working here you’ll see!’

Sharon turns to Tessa, “Thank you so much again, Tessa. You really helped me out. I’m a little surprised that you're still here though. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you did, but you really didn’t have to.”

“Oh really, I wanted to. Besides, someone has to keep Mariah from throwing ice cream snowballs at spoiled kids lol”

“Well,” Sharon looks from Tessa back to Mariah, ”if you really want to stay and work here for real, there’s one last thing to do before we can make it official. Well, two if you count the I-9.”

Mariah groans, “Oh mom, really?? Don’t embarrass her she’s already proved she’s got what it takes.”

“Mariah, rules are rules. Tessa, if you really want to start here as an official creation artist, the final step is the audition.”

“Audition? Like, on American Idol?”

“Sure, it doesn’t have to be a song, but it does have to be a performance.”

Now Mariah is the one looking embarrassed. She probably thinks this is going to lead to a cringe fest of massive proportions and wants to save Tessa from that disaster. But, what Mariah and Sharon can’t tell, is that Tessa is positively beaming on the inside. Tessa was born to sing, and getting to sing to, I mean in front of Mariah is possibly the best thing she can think of doing.

“Well, ok! Sharon, I actually love to sing! Do you want me to just, sing here or?”

Sharon nods her head, “Sure, if you’re comfortable”

“Here is fine. I think I have a perfect song, too.” Tessa smiles back at Sharon but quickly makes eye contact with Mariah before looking away. It was quick enough that if Mariah didn’t catch it she wouldn’t think anything of it.

Tessa takes a relaxing breath, closes her eyes, and begins her song.

Everybody's got something  
They had to leave behind  
One regret from yesterday  
That just seems to grow with time  
There's no use looking back, or wondering  
How it could be now or might've been  
All this I know  
But still I can't find ways to let you go

I never had a dream come true  
'Til the day that I found you  
Even though I pretend that I've moved on  
You'll always be my baby  
I never found the words to say  
You're the one I think about each day  
And I know no matter where life takes me to  
A part of me will always be with you

Somewhere in my memory  
I've lost all sense of time  
And tomorrow can never be  
'Cause yesterday is all that fills my mind  
There's no use looking back, oh wondering  
How it should been, now oh might've been  
All this I know  
All this I know  
But, still I can't find ways to let you go

I never had a dream come true  
'Til the day that I found you  
Even though I pretend that I've moved on  
You'll always be my baby  
I never found the words to say  
You're the one I think about each day  
And I know no matter where life takes me to  
A part of me will always be with you

You'll always be the dream that fills my head  
Yes you will  
Say you will  
You know you will oh baby  
You'll always be the one I know I'll never forget  
There's no use looking back, oh wondering  
Because love is a strange and funny thing  
No matter how hard I try and try  
I just can't say good bye  
No no no no

I never had a dream come true  
'Til the day that I found you  
Even though I pretend that I've moved on  
You'll always be my baby  
I never found the words to say  
You're the one I think about each day  
And I know no matter where life takes me to  
A part of me will always be with you

Tessa finishes the last note then opens her eyes. Sharon, Mariah, and even Faith are a bit stunned before they begin clapping enthusiastically.  
“Wow!” says Faith, “She’s even better than BTS!”  
Sharon almost can’t believe it, “That, that was amazing Tessa!”  
Tessa is slightly embarrassed by such positive responses. She shyly looks over to Mariah, who’s opinion she’s scared to admit means more to her than she’s ready to admit.  
Mariah has a look on her face that Tessa isn’t quite sure she can place. Dazed doesn’t seem quite right, but it's pretty close. “You, Tessa, are something else.” she finally says, softly. So soft it almost gets lost over Sharon and Faith’s exuberant clapping.  
“Congratulations Tessa, you’re hired!”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! Oh my gosh, I know this has been a huge wait. I've had some personal things going on, but I'm back on track. I hope you enjoy!

Tessa is on cloud 9 as she’s walking back to Sharon’s Cold Stone Creamery. As a matter of fact, she’d been on cloud 9 ever since she finished the last note of her audition song and saw the soft look in Mariah’s eyes looking back. She had helped Sharon, Mariah, and Faith close down the shop before saying good night and walking back to her car parked at the park. She could swear she heard Mariah humming NEVER HEARD A DREAM COME TRUE as the trio was walking away.  
Tessa was falling hard. It was time to admit that. She was falling hard and fast and even though her whole life was kind of crazy and mixed up and she was living out of her car and falling in love right now didn’t make any sense, she could hardly be blamed, right? What is a girl to do when a gorgeous, funny, gorgeous (did she mention gorgeous?) girl of her dreams drops in her lap and makes her ice cream??? Nope, Tessa is truly helpless in the face of those odds and all she can do is hope, maybe, Mariah might feel the same way....someday...hopefully.  
But for now, the name of the game was getting to work. Tessa was counting her lucky stars that she was able to get a job so fast. She knew she was going to have to live in her car for a while, but now that she can get a paycheck and tips, she should have enough saved for a small studio by the end of the month. She wasn't sure if Genoa City was going to be the last stop on her journey out of the South Side when she first got out. It had been a long drive to Santa Fe and back, with a lot of places in between, but now she is sure this is it. She can’t wait to have a home again. It’s going to take scooping a lot of Signature Creations, but she’s happy to do it if she’s going to be doing it alongside Mariah.  
Now it is Tessa who is lightly humming her audition song as she turns the last corner on her walk to the Creamery but as she looks up she sees something that slowly makes her come to a stop. Mariah is already there, wearing her rollerblades, helmet tucked under her arm. It’s Super cute. Like, SUPER cute. But she’s not alone. Mariah is talking to a blonde girl. At first Tessa thinks it might be Faith, but even accounting for the pair of rollerblades she’s also wearing she’s much taller. She is casually leaning against the door jam to the Creamery and looking at Mariah like she’s a snack. Mariah’s back is turned towards Tessa so she has no way of knowing if Mariah is looking at this girl like a snack right back. That thought hits Tessa in the pit of her stomach. Does Mariah already have a snack of her own? She’s beautiful, amazing, funny, athletic, and so many more things of course she’s taken! How could she possibly be single? Tessa feels so dumb right now. She fights the urge to turn around and head back to her car and right out of Genoa City. Get ahold of yourself Tessa!  
Tessa closes her eyes and forces herself to take a few breaths. Tessa, just relax. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. You still need this job and you can still be friends with Mariah. Besides, you don’t even know who this girl even is yet. Maybe this isn’t what it looks like? OK, don’t kid yourself. You can hope for the best but always expect the worst. That’s the motto that's gotten you this far.

“Lindsay, please move.” Mariah is exasperated. She is finally at the ice cream shop on time and she does not need this right now.  
“What??” the blonde girl, Lindsay, feigns confusion, “Am I in your way??”  
“You are literally leaning against the door.”  
“Oh, would you look at that! Silly me.” Lindsay laughs slyly. She stands up straight and gestures for Mariah to pass. Mariah sighs at Lindsay’s antics as she pulls her keys to the shop out of her bag. She moves to the door only for Lindsay to slide into her way again. Mariah moves to the left. Lindsay follows. Mariah moves to her right. Lindsay follows again.  
“Oh. MY GOD, Lindsay!”  
“What?! You don’t like dancing?”  
“My mom is going to be here any second!” Mariah hisses, “Cut it out!”  
“Whoooa wait,” Lindsay is surprised, “You're still hiding this from your mom? Dude, that accident was like, ages ago when is she gonna get over it?”  
Mariah just glares in response.  
Lindsay puts her hands up like she’s surrendering, “Ok ok, fine.” She rolls all the way away from the door finally allowing Mariah to pass. “Your secret will be safe with me, babe” Lindsay winks as she skates toward the sidewalk.  
Lindsay skates past a tall brunette who seems to have frozen on the spot, but then turns and calls back to Mariah, “Hey! Just think about it ok?” Lindsay waits for Mariah to answer but she doesn’t even turn around. Eventually Lindsay skates away.  
Tessa, who has been watching this whole interaction, is more confused than when she arrived.


End file.
